A recent survey has exposed the existence of nearly 5,000 unlicensed shops operating in the town. Municipal Commissioner Chandrappa C confirmed receiving the report, which brought the issue to light. He stated, “The report was submitted to me only recently, and it hasn’t been fully reviewed yet. However, it is clear that out of over 6,000 private commercial shops in Hosapete, only about 20% possess valid licenses.”
The commissioner assured that measures would be taken to ensure all establishments comply with licensing regulations. Deputy Commissioner M S Diwakar highlighted similar concerns across all eight urban local bodies in the district, where numerous commercial shops lack proper licenses. He proposed organizing a ‘Trade Mela’ to facilitate on-the-spot issuance of business licenses.
Manohar N, DUDC Project Director, announced that preparations are underway to hold the ‘Trade Mela’ by January 2025, as per the DC’s instructions. This initiative is expected to generate ₹8-10 crore in overdue revenue for Hosapete Municipality, with an estimated ₹2 crore in annual revenue after that.